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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, JAMES B. LYONS, of the town and county of Litchfield, in the State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Digging and Elevating Peat, from the bed; and the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of the machine.

Figure 2 represents a side elevation of the same, showing a section through the working-mechanism.

The object of myinvention is to facilitate the labor of digging peat from the bed and removing it to suitable places for manufacturing; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of the mechanism hereinafter described.

To enable others to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe it in detail, referring to the drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

As peat is mainly found in, marshy, boggy places, where there is no foundation to work upon, nor generally a sufficient space of water to float a boat or scow, I construct a substantial movable platform, A, of plank, sulficient to form a base on which to erect the necessary apparatus, which consists of a Windlass, B, on which the rope or chain 6 winds to hold on to the mass of peat and raise it. In the central portion of the platform A, at a suitable distance from one end, I erect a vertical shaft or post, C, on the top of which is placed and pivoted a horizontal timber or boom, D, which is supported on a truck, d, in which are two truck-rollers, e e, that travel on a semicircular rail, E, which is elevated and supported on posts, F, at the right height to keep the boom D in a horizontal position. At the projecting or outer end of the boom D there is a square mortise, through which the vertical shaft or timber G is fitted to slide up or down; and also mortises in which are sheaves or rollers, ff, for the rope or chain 6 to pass over, and under another roller, 9, near the bottom of the post C on to the Windlass B. On the lower end of the shaft G, which may be twenty-five or thirty feet in length, or longer if necessary, is secured the peat-digging and clasping fork or scoop H, which is made with a series ofsharp-pointed tempered steel blades, h h h h, secured to an iron frame, J, forming three sides of a hollow square, the end cuttingblades being shortened up in a regular grade. One side or a series of the forks I is movable, being pivoted to the iron frame J, so as to be operated by the arm 1', which is placed at a right angle to the cutter-blades or forks, the rope or chain Z1 connecting it with the 'windlass B. The clasping-fork or scoop H is firmly secured to the vertical shaft G by iron braces jj, so that it will drive the forks into the material, when the shaft is liberated by the cam k, which is placed in a mortise in the boom D for the purpose of holding the load of peat when lifted and carried around to a place to dump it. The eccentric cam is is controlled and worked by a handle, Z, bell-crank m, and

connecting-rodn.

The operation is as follows: The movable apparatus being got on to the peat-bed, and boom placed in the desired position, with the clasping-fork or digger elevated to the highest point, the rope or chain on the Windlass being sufiiciently slackened, lets the movable side of the forks, I, assume a vertical position, and also gives play for the shaft G to slide up and down to its fullest capacity. The eccentric-cam it releases the shaft, and the fork drops into the peat; then, by the action of the Windlass and chain attached to the end of the arm 1', the

peat enclosed in the scoop is clasped and raised out of the water by the Windlass, and is held by the eccentriccam is until it is brought round intoa position to be discharged.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The clasping-fork or scoop H, as constructed, for digging and elevating peat from the bed.

2. I claim the boom D, supported on a truck, d, and circulnr rail E, for the purpose of raising peat'and delivering it, so as to be easily IGIZHOYGd for use.

3. I claim the peat-digging apparatus, as attached to the vertical shaft, in combination with the boom, derrick, rope, or chain, pulleys and Windlass, operating substantially as herein specified. I

4. I claim the arrangement and combination of the eccentric-cam k, rod 11., bell-crank m, and handle Z, for controlling the digging and delivering-apparatus, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name in the presence of-- JAMES B. LYoNs.

Witnesses: 1

J. H. Warren, M. RALSTON. 

